Having been a lurker here and other forums for many years...all the way back to the OG days…it's about time I make a contribution.
With the mass of information available to growers these days I find it hard to make many worth while contributions and really enjoy the diversity of views, techniques and general growing styles. However there is ONE area I don't see any information on and is something that has really improved my outcomes. I have grown for many years to supply myself and close friends (at times) with a clean organic herb.
For a bit of back ground info I have a small flouro grow where I veg indoors and once the plants hit the lights they go outside to flower…very basic. I have been using this style now for several years and have had to deal with a few constant companions in this endeavour. These companions include fungus gnats, spider mites and symphilids for the indoor environment and caterpillars, grasshoppers and mold outdoors. I have used several techniques to minimise the impacts but trying to maintain an organic regime meant that all out chemical war was not an option for me.
I have used neem oil effectively for years as a foliar spray and it does work well keeping the pests down to manageable levels. Every time I miss a spray then the pests return quite quickly. I got sick at the end of last year for a few weeks and my clone stock got hit badly with all three pests: fungus gnats, spider mites and syphilis. It was a sad sight, webs between the branches and brown rotting root balls. I was at my wits end to save at least one plant and hit the net to see what help I could find. Rather than go through the ins and outs of the journey of discovery I will get straight to the point.
Neem oil is SYSTEMIC which means that once watered to the plants instead of spraying it on, the roots take up the Neem and distribute it through out the plant. At a rate of 5mls/litre once a week I have no problems with bugs…none. As long as you up the amount of water you feed to the plant to compensate for growth bugs will avoid your plants. Now to be clear I have used this for the last 12 months and it has worked for me using a 50/50 coco coir/organic soil mix. It has worked both indoors and outdoors and the only time I have pests is when I miss a feed for 2 weeks or so.
Not only is the Neem working a protective agent it is also an excellent root conditioner and I have never had plants look so good. A friend has started using Neem recently and commented on how he had strong bright white roots bursting out of his drainage holes within a few days of applying the Neem. I have seen insects on my plants that are sick and basically just sitting there immobile. This time of year the grasshoppers have hatched and normally will shred the plants leaves and the caterpillars are eating the buds so they rot and die. However not this year, whilst I do get some damage, the bug does have to ingest some the damage is minimal. Mostly bugs just stay away...
The upside for me here is that it is easy, very effective and reduces the amount I need to grow for myself since my plants now not only survive but prosper. This is a great relief to know this is completely organic and has no negative affect on the plant or me. I hope that this is able to help those to battle the pests that people experience and evidenced by the shear number of pest thread here and elsewhere. I have no idea what effects Neem may have in hydro systems but for any soil/coco coir grows this will be a benefit to the plants and the grower.
Very interested to hear any feedback…
Now that I can edit my original post I have defined that 5ml/litre is a better dosage rate as this is a more consistent with dealing with pests.
With the mass of information available to growers these days I find it hard to make many worth while contributions and really enjoy the diversity of views, techniques and general growing styles. However there is ONE area I don't see any information on and is something that has really improved my outcomes. I have grown for many years to supply myself and close friends (at times) with a clean organic herb.
For a bit of back ground info I have a small flouro grow where I veg indoors and once the plants hit the lights they go outside to flower…very basic. I have been using this style now for several years and have had to deal with a few constant companions in this endeavour. These companions include fungus gnats, spider mites and symphilids for the indoor environment and caterpillars, grasshoppers and mold outdoors. I have used several techniques to minimise the impacts but trying to maintain an organic regime meant that all out chemical war was not an option for me.
I have used neem oil effectively for years as a foliar spray and it does work well keeping the pests down to manageable levels. Every time I miss a spray then the pests return quite quickly. I got sick at the end of last year for a few weeks and my clone stock got hit badly with all three pests: fungus gnats, spider mites and syphilis. It was a sad sight, webs between the branches and brown rotting root balls. I was at my wits end to save at least one plant and hit the net to see what help I could find. Rather than go through the ins and outs of the journey of discovery I will get straight to the point.
Neem oil is SYSTEMIC which means that once watered to the plants instead of spraying it on, the roots take up the Neem and distribute it through out the plant. At a rate of 5mls/litre once a week I have no problems with bugs…none. As long as you up the amount of water you feed to the plant to compensate for growth bugs will avoid your plants. Now to be clear I have used this for the last 12 months and it has worked for me using a 50/50 coco coir/organic soil mix. It has worked both indoors and outdoors and the only time I have pests is when I miss a feed for 2 weeks or so.
Not only is the Neem working a protective agent it is also an excellent root conditioner and I have never had plants look so good. A friend has started using Neem recently and commented on how he had strong bright white roots bursting out of his drainage holes within a few days of applying the Neem. I have seen insects on my plants that are sick and basically just sitting there immobile. This time of year the grasshoppers have hatched and normally will shred the plants leaves and the caterpillars are eating the buds so they rot and die. However not this year, whilst I do get some damage, the bug does have to ingest some the damage is minimal. Mostly bugs just stay away...
The upside for me here is that it is easy, very effective and reduces the amount I need to grow for myself since my plants now not only survive but prosper. This is a great relief to know this is completely organic and has no negative affect on the plant or me. I hope that this is able to help those to battle the pests that people experience and evidenced by the shear number of pest thread here and elsewhere. I have no idea what effects Neem may have in hydro systems but for any soil/coco coir grows this will be a benefit to the plants and the grower.
Very interested to hear any feedback…
Now that I can edit my original post I have defined that 5ml/litre is a better dosage rate as this is a more consistent with dealing with pests.
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